


Vignette: Information for Intent

by butyoumight



Series: Shuffling Your Deck of Trick Cards [12]
Category: Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-14
Updated: 2011-06-14
Packaged: 2017-10-20 10:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/211711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butyoumight/pseuds/butyoumight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"I mean that he's at it again, and I know which way he's going and I </i>know<i> we're faster than him, Marvelous. I know it. We just needed a chance to catch up, and this is it! We've almost got him."</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Vignette: Information for Intent

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Episode 15. Alternate Universe as of Episode 16.

Marvelous hated himself just a little, for how he was getting used to the table being set for four instead of five.

It was silly, and stupid. Before they'd picked up Don, the table was hardly ever set at all. And then it had been just the four of them for some time before they'd found Ahim. Seeing four plates and four place settings at the table shouldn't have bothered him at all, but there was just something frustrating about it now.

He stood at the side of the table, frowning down at the plates and knives and forks, and then he moved his plate from the head of the table, sliding it to the right. He couldn't stand having an empty chair to his right, it made him think too much. But Ahim set the table the same way every day, and she refused to seat anyone else in Joe's chair.

Don came out of the galley bearing their dinner as Marvelous moved his silverware over as well. It didn't take much convincing to get Don back into the kitchen where he really did belong. He might have changed, but thankfully not that much. Ahim followed on his heels, Navi fluttering about her head. The bird had grown oddly attached to the former princess in Joe's absence.

Marvelous reached for Navi as she fluttered past, setting her down on the table where his plate had been a moment before. She lifted her wings once, huffing at him, but she stayed put while Don and Ahim dished out the food.

Don pulled Ahim's chair out for her, waited for her to sit before sitting beside her. Marvelous took a moment to appreciate his crew and all they did for him and for each other, and was well prepared to start eating when Ahim reached across the table to put a hand on his wrist.

"Luka-san?" She called. "Are you coming to eat?"

There was no response. Marvelous frowned, glancing towards Don.

"Luka?" Don's voice was a bit louder, it carried better, but still no answer from Luka.

Marvelous sighed and stood up, regretfully leaving behind the food. He waved his hand when Don moved to follow him. "Stay and eat. I'll get her."

Luka was stretched over the console, and she was definitely asleep. Marvelous sighed a little, touching her gently on the arm to try and rouse her. When that didn't work, he peeled her off the console and swept her into his arms.

That worked. "Oi!" She started kicking and flailing and very nearly hit Marvelous in the eye. "Put me down, I was working!"

"You were sleeping."

"Put me down, Marvelous!" She got a good kick at his thigh and he rolled his eyes, setting her back down and holding her waist while she gathered her balance. She immediately returned to the console. Marvelous sighed, grabbing her around the waist again and pulling her away.

"You need to come eat."

"I can't stop now, Marvelous. I've almost got it, I swear I've almost got it figured out."

He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the screen. The map there was too large for him to identify anything in particular, and covered in a detailed trace work of many colored lines. It made no sense to him, but Luka was staring at it intently.

"Got what figured out?"

"Basco's ship!" She was nearly screaming now, frustrated that Marvelous was being so obviously dense. She slapped him on the arm and pointed at the screen. "You see? You remember, I hit a dead end when he stopped attacking ships? I've got him cornered now. He stopped on a planet, some Zangyack colony that made him log his presence."

Marvelous frowned, again looking at the screen, wishing it would just explain itself to him. "You mean..."

"I mean that he's at it again, and I know which way he's going and I _know_ we're faster than him, Marvelous. I know it. We just needed a chance to catch up, and this is it! We've almost got him."

Marvelous felt like his stomach might have just dropped down to around his knees somewhere. He would never admit to giving up hope, but he had been beginning to worry that their pursuit of Basco was becoming a wild chase that wouldn't end on any but Basco's terms.

Marvelous stood up a little straighter, reached for Luka's hand and pulled her gently away from the console, sweeping her into a hug. "Thank you." He whispered in her ear, and then pulled back with a smile, a real smile that still looked somehow false against the dark circles under his eyes. "You've worked hard. You still need to eat."

Luka sighed against his shoulder, but when he gave her a little shake she relented, let him drag her to the table and set her down in her chair.

"Luka has good news, everyone." He announced softly as they ate. He looked at her and nodded his head, inviting her to explain. Don and Ahim both sat up, Navi's eyes seemed to glow brighter than usual.

"I think I've found it." Luka said, suddenly shy. "We're going to catch Basco's ship."

Don's grin was nearly blinding, he actually stood up to slap the table before circling it and tackling Luka nearly out of her chair. "Luka!"

Not long ago, she would have elbowed him in the side to make him let go, but this time she just let him hold on, even going so far as to pat his back in return. She was smiling.

Marvelous looked at Ahim, and she ducked her head once she realized she was being watched. There were tears in her eyes, just glistening at the edges of her eyelashes, but Marvelous somehow knew they were tears of happiness.

"We're going to take Joe back." Marvelous raised his voice, believing in the words and letting them empower him and the rest of the crew. "Whatever it takes."


End file.
